Carmen Marc Valvo Fall 2013: Punk Sonatas

Showgoers looked eagerly around for a front-row celebrity at Carmen Marc Valvo’s show, but the only unexpected guest was Superstorm Nemo, whose unexpected presence blessed every standing room attendee with seats. And it’s too bad, because the 25% of people who skipped the show missed out on a good old-fashioned, beautiful eveningwear show.

Remember the “biker baby” outfit Ann Romney wore to an appearance on Leno that got everyone in a tizzy? Well, I’m pretty sure Ann would like this collection – there was lots of leather, lace, and corsetry. But because it is Carmen Marc Valvo, it was all done with elegance and refinery, without the slightest hint of vulgarity. This season, his girl was Byronic and a little moody—a Beethoven-tortured artist/punk that dreams of piano keys, “moonlit sonatas, baroque scrolls, and rock and roll.” Those ebonies and ivories were the color story, with the occasional deep merlot, grape, and cassis thrown in.

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Blouses had poet ruffle detailing at the wrists and neck, paired sleekly with leather embroidered skirts. In a look that was pure Aspen-nighttime-chic, he belted a chinchilla puffy vest on top of a satin gored ball gown skirt with pockets, showing all of the luxury without the bulk. A leather peplum top with see through paneling in the collar and sleeves even had me re-considering the flash-in-the-pan trend because of the lovely way in which it was rendered and fitted. Carmen kept a sea of mostly black from being boring by playing on textures and fabrics, like a geometric slash of alligator in a silk and wool all-white evening gown, a flash of paillettes, or a surprising sheared mink sleeve on a tulle jacket.

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The story Tadashi Shoji made up in his head for his fall 2013 collection went something like this: “Royal princesses escaping from Russia, disguising themselves as farmers in peasant clothes. They’re running through snow fields, trying to get away.” If it sounds like something out of the Romanov empire, that’s because it is: Since he was 18, Shoji has been fascinated with Russian stories, devouring Dostoyevsky books and tales about the turbulent, yet gilded time in Russia’s history.

Instagram didn't need a filter at Marc Jacobs. The first half of the runway show was lighted in a sepia tone, presumably so that the audience could focus on the details of the clothes. (The lights were taken up for the second half of the show--every model re-walked the circular runway so that we could see the looks in technicolor, too.)
It doesn't matter which season, or whether or not we're blown away by the clothes, Marc Jacobs is time and time again the most wonderful moment of New York Fashion Week. Falling on Valentine's Day, it was the ultimate fashion love letter.